Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective languorous differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of languorous are lackadaisical, languid, listless, and spiritless. While all these words mean "lacking energy or enthusiasm," languorous suggests a dreamy boredom and delicacy that avoids unnecessary activity.

languorous cats lying in the sun

When is it sensible to use lackadaisical instead of languorous?

In some situations, the words lackadaisical and languorous are roughly equivalent. However, lackadaisical implies a carefree indifference marked by half-hearted efforts.

lackadaisical college seniors pretending to study

When can languid be used instead of languorous?

The synonyms languid and languorous are sometimes interchangeable, but languid refers to an unwillingness or inability to exert oneself due to fatigue or physical weakness.

was depressed and languid for weeks after surgery

When would listless be a good substitute for languorous?

While in some cases nearly identical to languorous, listless suggests a lack of interest caused by physical weakness or dissatisfied boredom.

listless hospital patients
listless children flipping through picture books on a rainy day

In what contexts can spiritless take the place of languorous?

The meanings of spiritless and languorous largely overlap; however, spiritless refers to a lack of animation or vigor that gives one's actions and words life.

a spiritless recital of the poem

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of languorous But in many performances, much of its detail can seem puzzling or pointless—vigorous or languorous notes spinning between the overwhelming climaxes. David Denby, The Atlantic, 1 Apr. 2025 Steeped in the pleasantly lazy atmosphere of the title setting, the film is languorous, but not long. Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 25 Jan. 2025 Such languorous scenes led one of my friends, a seasoned war reporter, to remark that the film was short on action, and its pace is undeniably slower than the typical war documentary. Simon Shuster, TIME, 14 Feb. 2025 Steeped in the pleasantly lazy atmosphere of the title setting, the film is languorous, but not long. Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 25 Jan. 2025 See All Example Sentences for languorous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for languorous
Adjective
  • The juxtaposition of these two things: classic, early Hollywood decadence, which is languid and which has its own flavor of Americana, next to frank, twenty first century poetry written to music.
    Rachel Elspeth Gross, Forbes.com, 13 June 2025
  • But most of the trip was dominated by a drift that was languid, meditative, sharpening the pixels of the present tense in a way that is increasingly rare in our pixelated age.
    David Amsden, Travel + Leisure, 13 June 2025
Adjective
  • Buehler allowed four runs over a listless four-inning performance, and the offense squandered several key scoring chances late.
    Mac Cerullo, Hartford Courant, 29 June 2025
  • However, the first baseman went 1-for-4 in the game, which featured a listless lineup, giving him a .143 average and a .447 OPS over his last 24 contests.
    Gary Phillips, New York Daily News, 29 June 2025
Adjective
  • With so much to do, and with a lackadaisical sense of urgency, each area is filled with gleeful distractions.
    Christopher Cruz, Rolling Stone, 1 July 2025
  • Now then, some angry pundits will excoriate you for being so lackadaisical.
    Lance Eliot, Forbes, 18 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • If tired, float or tread water until out of the rip current.
    NC Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 6 July 2025
  • The toll on crew members goes far beyond simply being tired.
    Iona Brannon, Travel + Leisure, 6 July 2025
Adjective
  • The Senators looked spiritless days ago in their building Saturday night ahead of Game 4.
    Julian McKenzie, New York Times, 30 Apr. 2025
  • Amid the spiritless spirits and a bevy of alcohol-free wines, ciders, and beers, luxury sparkling teas are comfortably the most exciting emerging trend in the low and no-alcohol sphere.
    Camille Berry, Vogue, 29 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • After overseeing five issues in a nine-month tenure at the helm, an exhausted Johnson returned to American Medical News full time in 1990, and Chicago Times folded several months later.
    Bob Goldsborough, Chicago Tribune, 27 June 2025
  • The exhausted face of its owner, a tech executive ending another 14-hour workday, tells quite another.
    Pavi Theva, Forbes.com, 26 June 2025
Adjective
  • Paired with the ensemble of braiders is their unpredictable clientele – a string of characters demonstrating the breadth of the American women filling salon chairs, from party girls to nepo babies and sleepy nurses coming off the night shift.
    Grace Tucker, The Enquirer, 2 July 2025
  • Even its flavor conjures a deep sleepy forest with woody, spicy and herbaceous notes, and finishes pleasantly bitter.
    Mackensy Lunsford, The Tennessean, 2 July 2025
Adjective
  • Ionic technology, on the other hand, speeds up dry time and cuts frizz (especially helpful in humid weather) but can leave fine hair looking too sleek or limp if overused.
    Christa Joanna Lee, Allure, 5 July 2025
  • In the now-viral video, Otis lies limp and unimpressed while his dad, Jake, strokes his leg with a concerned arm around him.
    Lydia Patrick, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Languorous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/languorous. Accessed 14 Jul. 2025.

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